Thanks for everyone's input. Yes Mara, I am torn. It's the type of situation where I'm not thrilled about spending a lot on a ring, partially because I'd like to save, and partially because I know my GF would kill me if she knew how much I was thinking of spending, but on the other hand, I have to think deep down she does want a nice ring regardless of what she says, and ten years down the line, I would like her to have the nicer ring (I know she could trade up, but I don't think she will want to trade in her engagement ring).

----------------

Sly -- I know where you are coming from and agree with you 100 percent. I'm spending a bit more than I budgeted, and probably a bit more than my girlfriend would want me to spend, because I want her to have something she will love not just now but in 30 years. While for me, buying a ring from Tiffany is definitely not what I want to do nor is it what my girlfriend would want me to do, it seems that it is the right thing for you.

People have posted all the reasons why they think Tiffany isn't a great buy. In truth, I generally agree with them, from what I have seen and learned since I started my diamond shopping. But everyone has different goals, opinions, and desires. You've read the posts, digested them, and it's clear you still want to get the Lucida. So do it! Nothing wrong with that. You are making an educated decision based on what is important to you and your potential fiancee.

As for the original debate between Tiffany vs. Other, I'm still torn, but will just have to think it through. I'm still convinced that telling her Tiffany as I give her the ring as opposed to giving her a HOF will impress her more (same price range). This is partially because we're both novices and recognize the Tiffany name and had never heard of HOF, and partially because I can't tell the difference, and doubt she could. Sure, under a microscope, i can see the H&A cut on the HOF and I understand the theory of the cut, but the Lucida cut looks extremely brilliant to me too. Maybe I'm missing something. I guess I'm leaning slightly toward Tiffany, but who knows. As always input is appreciated, but I can also see that we've beaten this topic to death.

.----------------

For me this is an easy choice. Light return baby!! Cut !! Look at it this way....

If you have an apple from your garden, and you bite into it and it's ripe, sweet, juicy, one of the best apples you have EVER had or seen before.

then

You have an apple from a really exclusive store and it looks good but not AS good as the other apple, you bite into it, and it's sweet and juicy but the other apple was better. But this one has a sticker on it that says 'grown in Florida' (or wherever the hell they grow apples!) and cost a little more than the other apple. Then your friend walks by. Which apple are they going to want to take a bite of? I'd want the homegrown apple over the store apple even without knowing the brand. If it looks better, it's just BETTER. Regardless of the sticker on it. Or the box it comes in. (Plus the storebought apple probably has pesticides! )

Which one makes more sense? That may not be the BEST analogy...but to me that's how it is. Apples to apples. I don't brag about my jewelry nor do I try to impress others or worry about impressing them with my jewels. They are for my enjoyment. I don't care about saying..Oh my ring is TIFFANY or Oh my ring is Hearts on Fire. Who really CARES? It sparkles right? That is ALL ANYONE CARES ABOUT. Except for about 5 people out there who will actually ask if it's from Tiffany. Are those the 5 people that are important to you? If your GF does not care about the branding, then don't be a fool and waste your money.

For me...if the cost was the same..and I was choosing blindly with no brand involved, I'd choose the better cut, always. If costs were different, that's a different story. I guess my roundabout point is that you shouldn't be comparing 'well this is Tiffany and this is HOF..which one gets more recognition' because if that was the case, drop your $8k at Cartier which has a better built and stronger brand for quality. Or go HW in that matter. If it's all about the brand and recognition, that's another matter.

So if it comes down to Lucida or Dream..I'd choose Dream..for the same money. Because it's better cut. And I'd appreciate that in a ring that my fiance wants me to wear the rest of my life. Not...'well it's not AS GOOD looking as the Tiffany but I thought you'd like the prestige better'. Whaaaa??

In the end you do what is best for YOU. But to be honest I think everyone has guided you as best they know. You have tons of opinions here--right, left..middle ground... It's time for you to make your own educated decision and live with it..whatever it is. And be HAPPY with whatever you choose. Don't look back. Until you can purchase without regret, you are not ready to purchase. Good luck!!

________________________________

"Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results."

As for the original debate between Tiffany vs. Other, I'm still torn, but will just have to think it through. I'm still convinced that telling her Tiffany as I give her the ring as opposed to giving her a HOF will impress her more (same price range). ----------------Sly, this is the last thing I can say about this to help you.

Don't worry about impressing anyone other than her. No one else matters.....not really.

As far as what will impress her.......if you get a well-cut stone that sparkles well (from Tiffany's or from elsewhere).....and you offer it to her when you ask her to marry you.......she'll be impressed. No question. You'd be surprised at how easy it is for a man to impress the woman who loves him. But you know your girl best, and if you think she'd be impressed by the Tiffany name, then get a Tiffany ring....really.

Only you can decide this.....you've gotten excellent advice here, but the ultimate decision rests with you. Pay particular attention to what Mara said.....make sure you can buy with NO regrets. If you even suspect you'll regret not getting "the Tiffany", then buy the Tiffany. If you suspect that the passing of five years or so will cause you to regret paying such an extreme markup on the Tiffany stone, then buy an excellently-cut, non-Tiffany stone.

Personally, I'd prefer to receive a non-Tiffany stone....I would regret knowing that my BF paid the markup, and it would bug me to know we could have had a better stone for less money. I think it would also bother me if he thought it took a "name" to impress me....as though his promise of marriage wasn't enough. If my BF bought a Tiffany, it wouldn't impress me......I'd be more impressed at the effort he put into learning about diamonds just to find a nice ring for me. If wearing a Tiffany ring meant it would take longer to save for the down-payment for our house, I'd feel regret when I thought about what that ring was really costing us.

But that's me.....others don't feel the same way, and they'd regret not having "the name". Only you know what you're likely to regret down the line.

Pardon the new name, but the GF (now fiance) caught on that I was looking for advice on bulletin boards so I had to cover my tracks. I wanted to post a final thank you for all the advice. Against what many people might have done, I finally did go with the Tiffany. I decided that I did like the sparkle just as much as the Dream, and the bottom line is, I enjoy a solid name brand. Couldn't have asked for a better reaction. She loves the ring, it looks perfect on her, her friends/family love the ring. The only downside that I've come to accept is that "subtle" Tiffany markup I had to pay.

Again, I do appreciate the 60 some replies my original post got. This was the right choice for me, and while I might have gotten a "look" for paying too much, it looks perfect on her.

Against what many people might have done, I finally did go with the Tiffany. I decided that I did like the sparkle just as much as the Dream, and the bottom line is, I enjoy a solid name brand. Couldn't have asked for a better reaction. She loves the ring, it looks perfect on her, her friends/family love the ring. The only downside that I've come to accept is that 'subtle' Tiffany markup I had to pay.

This was the right choice for me,

----------------

Fred, heartfelt congratulations! Honestly, it doesn't matter what other people might have done. It matters what's right for you, and clearly this choice was right for you. You did so knowing the pros (name recognition, etc.) and the cons (hefty markup), and you were okay with those. That's all anyone can ask for.

Tiffany's exists for a reason....because it satisfies a segment of the market, the same way the vendors here satisfy a different segment of the market. To me, the most important thing is to buy informed, and you've certainly done that.